Somewhere I Belong
by AtomicKokoro
Summary: Rino is tired of feeling he doesn't belong; the Scientist treat him differently because he's young, the kids outside bully him, even growing up he felt he didn't belong. Soon, he finds a place only he knows about. A place only he belongs. T for angst
1. Chapter 1: Hush Hush

**Somewhere I Belong**

**By: Atomic Kokoro**

**Storyline**

Rino is tired of feeling he doesn't belong; the Scientist treat him differently because he's young, the kids outside bully him, even growing up he felt he didn't belong. Soon, he finds a place only he knows about. A place only he belongs.

...

**Before You Read**

C'mon! You don't think everything is all handy-dandy for these characters? What about Gohan, who would've been freaking messed up after the Cell Games, or Danny having trouble keeping his secret a secret with being late and stuck with so much homework, lack of sleep, and injuries?

I have something to say, also, about the order of the English Astro Boy. Did anyone else go "Who the hell is that?" when Rino first appeared in Episode 12: The Robot Hunters? Ha ha! I really didn't care about him first time I watched the series, cause he was just a character. I thought it was weird this random kid helped build robots. Then, when he came in later, I just couldn't figure him out. The things he said made no sense and I was lost.

Then, I was rewatching Astro Boy 2003 and just selecting random episodes and I watched 22 over and I then realized how, ah, cool he was. And then I had to go to a Dentists appointment. So, the next day, early in the morning, I was like, "Wasn't there this episode where he got caught? Episode 28?" and I watched it and then RINO WAS THE BEST CHARACTER EVER at that point. I watched it twice that morning. But I always thought his name was spelled Reno for a year. I still spell it that way in Fanfictions (a lot of people still do).

Anyways, a little Angsty story I thought I'd write.

Anyways, (TOO MUCH ANYWAYS AGAIN!) on with the story!

,,.

**Chapter 1**

**Hush-Hush**

His books were scattered across the grass, pages flipping in the wind. Peices of technology glinted in the sunlight. One laid by an unmoving hand. Blood trickled down his cheek detainfully. His eyes shot open, revealing two beautiful teal irises that gleamed like an ocean under the gaze of a full moon.

Rino leaned up and placed a hand on his pounding head. He wiped the trail of blood from the corner of his mouth and sighed. His sight glazed over the ruined books and broken works he had owned, created, and bought himself. He sighed and stood up. They were no use, since the pages were ripped from the spines and the technological fragments had been destroyed into smaller, impairable peices.

He left them on the ground. Someone else would find them and either find use of or dispose of.

The first stop he made was a nearby bakery. His stomach won over every other pain in his body, so he bought a breadstick, one of his favorite foods. He asked if he could use the bathroom: he knew the baker there well enough for her to understand Rino needed it to clean up. But she hadn't guessed it was really to cover up what had happened.

Sure, he was a victim of bullying. He always had been growing up. The men that would chase him through the allyways and beat him until he was unconscious. They never knew he was really a little boy, lost and afraid of the big world that was before him. They had only seen the 'Robot Counterpart' of him.

There were also the Scientists at the Ministry who saw him as an immature child who didn't really belong there. They didn't understand why O'Sheay let him do whatever he wanted to, as long as it involved Robotics. There were some rooms he wasn't allowed in, despite his pleas to take at least a peek. They sometimes jeered when he was smart enough to find and solve the problem they all missed.

And then there was the boys from the school Astro and Ken and Alejo and Ambercrombie all attended. They didn't like him. And for no reason at all. Maybe it was because he didn't have to go to the same school everyone else went to. He went to the Ministry instead. That was his school. And they were all jealous.

There was also his friends, who would make a few mean jokes sometimes. They were just trying to joke around, he knew. But they took it too far sometimes. He never let them know, however. He just chuckled nervously and changed the subject.

And, finally, there was himself. He didn't like himself very much. He didn't know why. His self-esteem never really was there to begin with. He wished he wasn't there. He wished he was someone else.

He made sure no one would ever know about the last part the most, however. He always wore long sleeved shirts anyways.

...

Rino walked through the front door of where he lived. No one was home. He stepped upstairs and into his room where he could've been more isolated from the world. He had to buy some more books later. Would he risk running into anyone? Someone who would just hurt him? Why not? Hadn't it just been that way because it was meant to be?

He sat on the edge of his bed and sighed. This world was a cruel place. He didn't want anyone to know how sad and pained he was because Dr. O'Sheay and Astro and many others were so nice to him here. He didn't want to ruin everything, no.

A knot in his stomach tugged and he lurched foreward to keep another panic attack from coming on. All the cruelty often triggered a panic attack whenever he was afraid, sad, or drowning in a pool of self-hatred. He hated how much it was difficult to breath, but he loved the feeling, too. He tried to tell himself over and voer that he wasn't emo or anything, but everytime he tried to convince himself, he knew he was just lying.

Rino fell onto his back, the soft matress just bouncing him up and down like the waves of an ocean. He kicked his feet onto his bed and layed with his back to the door. He hadn't bothered to change out of his regular clothing, or even bothered to take off his shoes, and passed out on his bed right then and there.

...

**After Notes**

Whoa. Creepy. Can you believe I wrote that? Anyways, a little Angsty story for Rino cause I don't think life was ever kind on him. Well, except for Abbie. Ha ha! And the Doc and Astro and a bunch of other people. But, there had to have been bad events that happened, ya know?

Anyways, I hope this story goes well. Fingers crossed.


	2. Chapter 2: Wall

**Somewhere I Belong**

**By: Atomic Kokoro**

**Storyline**

Rino is tired of feeling he doesn't belong; the Scientist treat him differently because he's young, the kids outside bully him, even growing up he felt he didn't belong. Soon, he finds a place only he knows about. A place only he belongs.

...

**Before You Read**

Ahhh...I have nothing to say. Except that I need a vacation. So does my dad. We'll be vactationers together! (If you don't get it, watch the clay animation of Rudolph the Rednosed Reigndeer: "We'll be Indepentent together!")

...

**Chapter 2**

**Wall**

Rino, eariler that day, had purchased new books to replace the old ones that had been destroyed. He hadn't run into anyone he didn't want to meet, but no one he wanted to see, either. He had gone to the Ministry, avoiding the boys who had ambushed him the day before, and walked down the halls to his office.

It felt like an eternity before he could get to the safty of his office. And even then, he still wasn't safe. He opened the door and wasn't surprised to see John, one of the Scientists that wasn't all that nice to him, rumaging through his files.

"You have nothing to do with those," Rino muttered dully as he set his books on his desk. John shot up and stared at Rino like a deer in headlights. "Get out."

John was gone in an instant, leaving Rino in wonder why such a man would be going through what was his and no one else's buisness. He peeked into the open filing cabinet. Naturally, John couldn't do his own research for once in his life and often snuk into Rino's stuff to 'permanently borrow' whatever he needed.

Thankfully, he wasn't able to find what he needed. This was because Rino desided to place things John was doing that Rino had researched in a special spot where John would never find it: in the plants. Because there was such little decorating in his room, he had no other place to put the documents, so he simply hide it in the only spot available that wasn't obvious.

He wouldn't need the notes anymore because they were already memorized and had been used in what he needed them for. Rino took the notes from the indoor plant and placed them in his suitcase. He would take it home on his break later.

It wasn't long before he got to work.

...

The clock struck twelve and Miss. Yuko stormed into Rino's office. It made him laugh (on the inside) about how she would do the exact thing to him as she did to Doctor O'Sheay. "Rino," she said with a smile. "It's your lunch break."

The funny thing was that he was a lot like the doctor. He could never stay on time and often missed his break if he was too into whatever he was doing. "Thanks, Miss. Yuko," he said, standing up. "I'll be back in a couple hours."

He supposed another reason everyone hated him was because his breaks were three times longer then everyone else's. But he was a child no older than 11. And it wasn't a job, it was school. But he insisted that he have his own space to work on projects. He used that space to make the plans for Gideon.

Sometimes, the Doctor was too busy with other things to be teaching him, so he often practiced what he knew or read books to increase his skill. He never did mind peaceful work hours. It was calming, and not stressful. He didn't have timelines, but he often had a goal to get them done before a certain date, just so he would get use to them.

As he was exiting the building, he noticed some boys down at the bottom of the staircase that lead up to the Ministry. Rino quietly slipped into a crowd of people to be kept from being seen and wandered down to the pizza shop down the street. He agreed to meet everyone there in an hour from then, but he didn't think being early was terrible.

"Hey!" yelled a far away voice from behind. Rino spun around to see the boys. Just his day.

He loosened up a bit. "What, yesterday not good enough for you?" he muttered, still half-turned around. "Why don't you be some good little boys and go screw yourself?"

Remarks like that often lead to a tough chase down the street. And the rules followed for that time, too. The boys charged at Rino and Rino spun, speeding down the sidewalk at the speed he could always. Being able to run quickly was a skill develouped for survival. It became more and more needed as he was growning up, with all the men from before chasing him.

He twisted down an allyway that must've gone for miles. Metro City was big place, but the allies were bigger.

Rino could hear the huffs and the threats from the boys beginning to fade and he smiled, nowing he was more then likely to escape without a scratch. He glanced over his shoulder and turned one last corner. A little farther and he would loose them-

-the next thing he knew he was on the ground with the boys hovering over him like bees to a flower. He tried to bolt upright, but he was forced onto his back again by one of the five boys. He could see a rather randomly placed brick wall behind one of the boys. Perhaps that had been what had knocked him to the ground.

The allyway walls were tight enough for him to chimney jump his way over the brick wall. He rolled backward onto his feet and stared at the boys who were ready to jump him on his next move. But his next move obviously wasn't what they thought.

Using the amazing power and strength in his legs, he leapt into the air and bounded off of the left wall backfliping in the air and bouncing off of that one. This process repeated until he was one jump away from the top of the brick wall, in which, he leapt at the edge of the brick wall and performed a perfect handstand. He flashed the finger before pushing himself in the air from his handstand and backflipped, landing perfectly on the otherside despite the height.

He wiped some blood from his nose from the collision with the brickwall and shrugged. It would stop bleeding sooner or later, but definetly before he would meet with the others.


	3. Chapter 3: Tremble

**Somewhere I Belong**

**By: Atomic Kokoro**

**Storyline**

Rino is tired of feeling he doesn't belong; the Scientist treat him differently because he's young, the kids outside bully him, even growing up he felt he didn't belong. Soon, he finds a place only he knows about. A place only he belongs.

...

**Before You Read**

Thrid of the day! Woo!

...

**Chapter 3**

**Tremble**

Astro could hear the yelling before he even entered the building. It was coming from the upstairs and, naturally, he wanted to see what the commotion was about. When he got to where all the yelling was originating from, no one was there. He couldn't understand why someone would start yelling then just leave the matter.

He wandered into the Doctor's office and opened it. Obviously, the doctor was inside, sitting at his desk and writting. "Doctor," he said. "I think there's something wrong with my hearing. I heard someone yelling."

The doctor looked up and nodded. "No, you heard correct," he said. "Mark just lost his temper that's all. You know how he is."

"Who was he yelling at?" Astro asked.

O'Sheay shurgged. "I'm not sure," he said. "Some Scientists, I suppose."

Astro nodded and left the room. It was after Rino's shift, so he must've been waiting for him and the others at the Treehouse as always. Of course, he was right. He was clutching a small cup in his hand, staring at the liquid.

"Hey, Rino," he said as he entered the Treehouse. Rino looked up and gave a smile.

"Hey, Astro," he replied and named off each of Astro's crew members as they entered the Treehouse.

The crew started exchanging stories, though Rino didn't seem to have much to say. Astro smiled before he realized it was his turn. "Hey, Mark was yelling again today."

Ken rolled his eyes. "That guys is always yelling," he muttered. "Just wait 'till ya do something that makes him really hit the roof. He'll be screaming."

Alejo opened his mouth to speak, but the second it took to take in a breath, a small clinking sound was heard. Everyone looked around when Ambercrombie took a good look at the paled and dazed Rino who stared at the tea in his hands with next-to-shock. "Uh, are you okay?" he asked.

"Huh?" Rino looked up at everyone as he broke out of a daze. "Um, yeah, I'm okay."

"No, your not," Astro said slowly. He had been the one to know the clinking noise was originating from the cup and saucer where the tea was poured into was tapping together due to Rino's rather noticable trembling. "Rino, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he insisted. "Nothing. I'm okay."

Everyone exchanged worried looks. "Dude, your shaking," Ken leaned foreward to grasp Rino's arm in an intentionally friendly way but Rino jumped back and leapt to his feet.

"Don't touch me!" he screamed before turning and running out the door of treehouse. He leapt over the railing and ran off before anyone could stop him.

The crew watched him run towards wherever he planned to go. Astro looked at the others. "I think we should tell the Doctor."

...

Rino sat at the edge of the concrete dock, staring off at the ocean under the setting sun. He couldn't understand why he had acted the way he did. What Mark did was over now.

_"You're shaky,"_ Gideon had said before Rino had left to the Treehouse. _"Mark shouldn't have yelled at you or grasped your wrist like that."_

Rino rubbed his wrist, which was red from Mark grabbing it and shaking him. That was the only thing he muttered to O'Sheay. Though, that was only one thing Mark had done. There was more to the story: Mark had hit him and tossed him into the desk.

He wanted to tell someone, but who would believe him?

...

O'Sheay nodded once. "I think we should talk to him," Astro suggested. Although it was getting dark, it was a Friday and, hence, the boys were allowed to stay out to about ten. It was six.

"Yeah," agreed Ken. "I don't know why he freaked out like that. I mean, yeah, he's shaken, but...Ya know, it's just not like him. He wasn't even fazed when Zade caught him and they handled him tough then just by the wrist and yelling."

"Where is he now?" a voice by the door growled. "And what makes you think you can make things any better?"

Everyone spun around to see, surprisingly enough, Atlas standing by the door. "What do you mean, Atlas?" Astro asked, despite the fact everyone was ready to tackle Astro's older brother if one small move was unexpected.

"The kid's smart. Book smart," he said. Everyone just stared. Atlas sighed with irratation at the fact no one quite understood what he meant. He leaned up. "I've been watching the kid. Why? Not sure. Maybe 'cause he's the only one who'd bother to patch me up when I need it." He tossed a glare at O'Sheay.

Everyone was quiet while Atlas quietly, and carefully, chose his next words. "What I mean is that the brat don't got the street smarts to tell a whole story. He was like me, when I was younger. I didn't tell what the matter was. Catch my drift?"

The only one who moved was Ken, and he shook his head. Atlas sighed again in irritaion. "I'm saying there's more to the story then you think. There's things that go on when your all busy. Those 'misplaced' projects were destroyed by some humans who think he got it going easy 'cause he don't go to the same schools you do.

"Them Scientists don't like 'im. They don't want no kid wandering around these halls, and they don't wanna be outsmarted by 'im eaither. What about those humans that hated robots? They've been around for a while. You think he says, "oh, there's people like Zade in the city, too' cause he thinks so-"

"You were there for that?"

"-shut it, Astro. What I mean is that the kid don't feel he belongs in these places. What about those stupid jokes you find so funny? They get to him, too, you know."

Everyone exchanged looks. How did Atlas know all this?

"Why have you been watching Rino?" O'Sheay finally asked.

Atlas smirked. "Maybe 'cause I know what it's like to feel I don't belong." And with that, he left.

Astro looked at the ground. "So, all his life, things have been building up. Ever since he was a child..." He shook his head and clenched his fists. "We have to talk to Rino. We have to find him. And we have to make things better!"


	4. Chapter 4: Where Only I Belong

**Somewhere I Belong**

**By: Atomic Kokoro**

**Storyline**

Rino is tired of feeling he doesn't belong; the Scientist treat him differently because he's young, the kids outside bully him, even growing up he felt he didn't belong. Soon, he finds a place only he knows about. A place only he belongs.

...

**Before You Read**

By the way, I wrote this story all at once. Ha ha!

...

**Chapter 4**

**Where Only I Belong**

Rino stared into the water. The ripples deformed his reflection below. Tears dripped from his eyelashes to the ocean...where neither they belonged. "What is it?" he wimpered, squating down and holding his knees to his chest while still standing. "What is it that makes me different from everyone else?"

He stared at the full moon that hung over like a silver plate about to be laid on a flat, shiny table drapped in the arm of a table cloth. Thousands of pictures, good and bad, spun in his head like questions.

Why was it the moon could be accepted among the stars? Why was it the sun could be accepted among the planets? Why was it the flower could be accepted among the grass, yet he was the Claranet among the Flutes?

"Rino! Rino!" A course of Angels' voices yelled his name from the heights above him. He raised to a stand and took a step closer to the edge where the water glisened. The world was spinning. Around and around like a Merry-go-Round.

"Don't be stupid," Atlas said quietly from behind. With whatever little sense he had, Rino glanced over his shoulder at him. "I...Daichi...didn't die because he chose to." Rino turned to face Atlas fully. "It was an accident."

Rino stared at what seemed to be more into space than at Astro's older brother-by-design. "You and I are different," he said solemnly. "Everything is different between us. If our positioned were switched, I would be pulling you away from the edge."

Atlas didn't move, but only spoke. "You are right. We are different." Rino turned back to the ocean, his head hanging low. A moment of silence passed before Atlas spoke up again. "Yet, we are the same."

Rino slowly turned back around. "W-what do you mean?" he said.

"Everyone is different, yet the same," Atlas continued. "It is just a matter of who we are inside-" he tapped his chest. "-that really counts. And those people who made you feel like you were different in a bad way were people looking for a place to belong. And the place they thought they belonged was with a group of other people who were also searching for a place to belong."

A sparkle danced along Rino's eyelashes, in which Atlas assumed was a tear fighting a maze to escape. "I know because I used to be one of those people. And, now...now I know I was wrong. I learned something from my...Daichi's mistake." Rino stared at Atlas. "It's that the only place we belong is with each other."

"Then who, Atlas?" Rino snapped, tears flowing down his cheeks. "Who do I belong with?"

Atlas sighed and walked to Rino, stopping two arm lengths away from him. He held out a hand to Rino and smiled.

...

Astro and the others finally met up just by the dock and stopped in shock to the scene that had been set before them. Atlas's arms were wrapped around Rino's shoulders, his chin resting on the boy's head. Rino's eyes were closed as if he were sleeping peacefuly in Atlas's comfortable grip.

One hand was placed firmly against Atlas's chest while the other curled under his chin. They rocked slowly back and forth before the ocean and the bright full moon.

How this night had finally given peace. Even after the day he joined the Doctor and Astro back to the city to start a new life, things hadn't been so easy.

How had it come to this? How had Rino decided to that he wanted it all to end that day? And, in that same day, Atlas decided to tell the truth? What had caused this all to happen? What had cause the Angel's choir to sing that night before him? What had brought the words to Atlas's mouth?

Rino didn't care what had caused this to happen, why, or how. He didn't care why the Angel's choir had sang that night, or why the moon was full. He didn't care why the ocean sparkled under the moon's gaze. He didn't care if he was too young to be at the Ministry, or if he was different from everyone else.

He knew something. He knew where he belonged. He knew that it had been underneith his nose the whole time, right in plain sight. Even if he hadn't believed that everyone he knew as a friend was where belonged, he would believe one thing. And with all his heart, too. He believed Atlas's words...

"You belong with me."

**The** **End**

...

**After Notes**

This was supposed a lot different. Why did this turn into a Atlas/Rino? I wish I knew. Anyways, this is how it turned out. It was supposed to be a lot longer. I guess this was just my day-long project. I stared it today and ended it today. I guess that's because I'm awesome.

It's a little long than "Slip and Fall" but short with it combined with "Slip and Fall: Unheard Words". I guess this one had a happier ending, ha ha! 'Cept this one is an Atlas/Rino and "Slip and Fall" was a Ken/Rino. Yeah, I have odd pairings.

Anyways, "Somewhere I Belong" is now finished! YAY!

If you like Reno/Rino/Lino, I have another story on the due called "Reno's Origins" in the Dragonball Z/Astro Boy crossover section. It's better then I thought. Check it out if you liked "Somewhere I Belong" because they both are very simillar except "Reno's Origins" is about Reno's parents. And I hope you know what a Saiyan is. Don't worry if you don't know, howevere, because it will be explained.

Thanks for reading!

Love it? Hate it? Wanna read it again? Let me know! The review button is right there!


End file.
